Display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display apparatus having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to form an endless belt, the belt of panels being movable in a closed path having a front vertical view portion, each of the panels having a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of light passages, each group of passages being arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns, from lamps positioned behind the panels when they are in the front view portion of their paths of movement for transmitting light through the light passages, each of the light passages having a closure operatively associated therewith and movable between an upper inoperative position wherein light passages are open and a lower operative or closing position wherein the closure prevents transmittal of light through its associated light passage. The display apparatus also includes means for moving selected ones of the closures from their inoperative to their operative positions whereby each of the groups of light passages may present a desired alphanumeric visual information.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Francis A. Fuller, Jr.

Dallas, Tex.

[21] App1.No 850,158

[22] Filed Aug. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [73] AssigneeScience Associates, Inc.

Garland, Tex.

[54] DISPLAY APPARATUS 28 Claims, 25 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S.C1 40/28C,

OTHER REFERENCES Quick Closing Light Shutter, Dike and Kemp, p. 12561965 reference in 350/269 Primary Examiner Robert W. Michell AssistantExaminer-Richard Carter Att0rney-Walter J. Jagmin ABSTRACT: A displayapparatus having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotallyconnected to form an endless belt, the belt of panels being movable in aclosed path having a from vertical view portion, each of the panelshaving a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of light passages,each group of passages being arranged in horizontal rows and verticalcolumns, from lamps positioned behind the panels when they are in thefront view portion of their paths of movement for transmitting lightthrough the light passages, each of the light passages having a closureoperatively associated therewith and movable between an upperinoperative position wherein light passages are open and a loweroperative or closing position wherein the closure prevents transmittalof light through its associated light passage. The display apparatusalso includes means for moving selected ones of the closures from theirinoperative to their operative positions whereby each of the groups oflight passages may present a desired alphanumeric visual information.

M l! I PATENTEDAUB31 197: 3, 01,914

SHEET 1 BF 5 ATTORNE Y PATENTEU M1831 I971 SHEET 2 UP 5 INVENTOR.

Francis A. Fuller, Jr. BY

W ATTORNEY PATENIED AUB3'I IQYI SHEET 3 BF 5 l i: ,:m--- [144: 127255 n?H ll A /52 /53 60 SERIAL seam. BUFFER I LINE PARALLEL oecooms INPUTCONVERTER STORAGE 3 SPEED COLUMN ALIGNMENT CHARACTER /95 CONTROL CONTROL(oecone cenemnou 2 END OF QUOTATION) (ROM) SYSTEM "CLOCK /57 /63 TIMING/88 0 +TIMING 68 f V2 3 MOTOR 759 BUFFER CHARACTER DRIVE SHIFT LOCATIONCONTROL ALIGNMENT G A9711 /67 A90 /66 F L E stones smF'r lg/v couTnoI.IN PULSES 676 1 WRITE SHIFT 4 PU LSES n I 3 m sucoozo CHARACTER STORAGEf 495 (so CHARACTER MATRIX) l8] 1 WRITE CONTROL LINE WAGNETENABLE sync.

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INVENTOR.

ROW SENSOR Fig.|2

Fr0ncisA.Ful|er,Jr.

ATTORNEY PATENTEUAUGB] 197i 3,601,914

SHEET 5 [1F 5 INVENTOR. Francis A.Fu|ler, Jr

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ATTORNEY DISPLAY APPARATUS This invention relates to display apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved displayapparatus which may present a large amount of continuously transmittedalphanumeric information for a relatively long period of time.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus. which will display alarge amount of information for an H appreciable period of time eventhough the information is being transmitted for display, such as lettersand numbers over a teletype line, is being transmitted at a very rapidrate.-

Still another object is to provide a display device wherein theinformation is presented by directly transmitted light.

Still another object is to provide a display apparatus having aplurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally conhected to forman endless movable belt which has a front upwardly moving visibleportion, with each panel having a plurality of groups of light passagesspaced longitudinally there along, and closures for selectively closingeach light passage, and means for selectively causing a whole line ofteletype information to the written or presented by groups of lightpassages of each panel during its movement into the bottom visibleportion of its upwardly moving visible portion of its path of movement.

An important object is to provide a display device usable with a displayapparatus of the type described which had an elongate horizontallyextending substantially vertical panel provided with a plurality ofgroups of light passages arranged in predetermined arrays and closuresoperatively associated with each of the panels for individually andselectively'closing the light passages.

Another object is to provide a display device wherein the closures forthe light passages are held by gravity in either operative orinoperative positions when the panel is in a vertical upright position.

Still another object is to provide a display device wherein I theclosure members are movably mounted in elongate internal cavities of thepanel which intersect the light passages.

A- further object is to provide a display device of the type disclosedwherein the cavities in which the closuresare movable mounted permitlateral displacement or movement of the closures from their inoperativepositions to permit them to fall freely to their operative closedpositions.

A still further object is to provide a display device of the typedisclosed wherein the closures are movable from their inoperative totheir operative positions by operator means, such as electromagnetsdisposed inwardly and spaced from the panels.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus of the type disclosedwherein the closures are movable from their inoperative to theiroperative positions by operator means, such as electromagnets disposedinwardly and spaced from the panels.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus of the type describedwherein all of the closuresof a panel aremoved. to their inoperativepositions during the movement of the panel from the upper end of thefront visible portion of its'movement to the lower end of the frontvisible portion of its path of movement.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the inventiomand reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view, with some parts removed of a display apparatusembodying the invention;

FIG. 2, is a sectionalview taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with some partsbroken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an end portion of a panelembodying the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the endlessbelt displayassembly of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6; FIG. 9 is asectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7; FIG. 10 is a sectional viewtaken on line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view with some parts broken away taken on 11-11ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a control circuit for thedisplayapparatus;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of thedisplay panel; P

FIG. l4is a sectional view taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16- 16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is an example of the use of the display apparatus to presentstock market quotations;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the display panelsof the invention formed of panel sections;

FIG. 19 is a perspective fragmentary air view of end portion of one ofthe panels;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on line 21-21 of FIG; 18;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary front view of another modified form of thedisplay panel; v I

FIG. 23is a sectional view taken on line 23-23 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary front view of another modified form of thedisplay panel; and,

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken on line 25-25 of FIG. 24. Referringnow to the drawings, the display apparatus 20 includes a housing 21having a horizontal bottom wall 22, a rear wall 23, a top wall 24, endwalls 25 and 26 and a front wall 28.

The front wall has a display aperture or window 29 therein. A supportframe 30 is mountedin the housing 21 and includes a pair of verticalsupport plates 31 and 32 and pairs of bottom at there outerv peripheralportions similarly'secured thereto. The peripheral angle members mayhaveflanges which abut adjacent walls of the housing and are secured theretoin any suitable manner, as by screws or bolts, not shown. The back .wallof the rear wall 23 may be releasably secured to the flanges of the rearvertical angle members 36 by screws 38.

A movable display 45 is mounted on and between the support plates 31-and 32 by means of a top drive shaft 46 and a bottom idler shaft 47rotatably mounted on the plates by means of suitable bearings 48. Thedisplay assembly includes a plurality of horizontally extending panels50 connected by horizontal pivot shafts 51. A pair of sprockets 52rigidly secured to the drive shaft have spaced radial arms 54 in whoseouter recesses 55 are receivable the rollers 86 mounted on the pivotshafts 51. It will be apparent that as the drive shaft is rotated in acounterclockwise manner, FIG. 5, the engagement of the sprocket armswith the rollers 56 causes the front portion of the display assemblyvisible through the housing window to be moved upwardly. The drive shaft46 is driven by a suitable electric motor 58 which is rigidly secured tothe support plate. 32 by means of bolts 51. The motor is preferably ofthe synchronous type having a permanent magnet armature in order thatthe, rotation of the drive shaft be arrested immediately when the statorwindings of the motor are disconnected from the source of alternatingcurrent.

The idler shaft. 47 is provided with similar. sprockets 60 rigidlysecured thereto whose radial arms 61 are provided with recesses orsockets 62 in which the rollers 56 of the pivot shafts are receivable.The sprockets of the drive and the idler shafts are aligned verticallyand inwardly of the support plates.

The panels 50 are connected by the pivot shafts to form an endless beltwhich travels in a closed path having a front portion A in which thepanels move upwardly adjacent to and past move downwardly and a bottomportion D in which the panels move forwardly. The panels are guided intheir movement in, this closed path not only by the sprockets of thedrive and idler shafts but also by the guide rollers 64 rotatablymounted on the opposite ends of the pivot shafts 51 and movably disposedin the guide recesses in the inwardly opening guide recesses 65 of thesupport plates. The guide recesses are of somewhat greater width thanthe diameter of the guide rollers.

Adjacent top and bottom edges of adjacent horizontal panels are providedwith slots 66 and tongues 67, the tongues of one panel being received inthe slots of the other. The pivot shafts 52 extend through bearings 68carried by the tongues. While the tongues and the slots of adjacentpanels have been shown as spaced from one another, for clarity ofillustration, in actual practice a very close fit is provided betweenthe tongues of one panel and the other to prevent transmittal of lighttherebetween.

It will be apparent that a display assembly is guided and held in adesired path of movement by the engagement of the sprockets of the driveand idler shafts with the rollers 56 of the pivot shafts and also by theengagement of the guide rollers 64 with the surfaces of the supportpanels defining the guide recesses 65. When the panels are located inthe front portion of the path of movement of the display assembly 45,the outer sides of all panels located in the front portion A of the pathof movement of the display assembly are visible for view through I thewindow of the housing.

Each of the panels may be formed of a planar outer member 70 and aplanar inner member 71 secured to one another in any suitable manner, asby adhesive, bonding and the like. Each panel has a plurality of spacedgroups G of light passages 72 formed by the apertures 73 and 74 of theouter and inner panel members 70 and 72, respectively. The apertures ofthe panel members are somewhat cone shaped, i.e., decrease in diameterinwardly and open to internal recesses 75 and 76 in the inner sides ofthe outer and inner panel members, respectively. Each recess 75 of theouter planar members 70 extends angularly and to the left as seen inFIG. 3, and its upper portion is of greater depth, FIG. 7, and isdefined by an inner surface 78 which slopes upwardly and outwardly asseen in FIGS. 6 and 7, and whose lower portion is defined by an arcuatesurface or ledge 79. The upper portion of each recess 76 of the innerpanel members is defined by upwardly and outwardly sloping surface 80which is in alignment with the surface 78 so that a closure disc ormember 82 may move between its inoperative position illustrated in FIGS.6-and 8 and its operative position wherein it closes a passage formed byeach pair of the aligned passages 72 and 73 of the outer and inner panelmembers. The associated pairs of recesses 75 and 76 of the panel formcavities 83 which intersect the light passages. The closure 82 when inits upper inoperative position lies or rests on the ledge 79 and thesurfaces 78 and when in its lower operative position rests on thesurfaces 84 and 85 of the two panel members defining the bottoms oftheir recesses. As a panel moves rearwardly and upwardly and thenrearwardly and downwardly in the top portion B of the path of movementof the display assembly 45, any closures 82, which have been in theirlower operative positions as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, move due tothe force of gravity into alignment with the surfaces 78 and rest on thetop arcuate surface 87 defining the upper end of the recess 75, andremain in this position during the downward movement of the panel in therear portion C of the path of movement of the panel in the rear portionC of the path of movement of the display assembly. As such panel thenmoves downwardly and to the right, FIG. 5, the closures 82 move into thepockets 90 or niches defined by the surfaces 78, 79 and 87 and rest onthe surfaces 78 and 87, as such panel then moves forwardly and upwardlyin the portion C of the path of movement, the closures slide on thesurfaces 78 until their edges engage the arcuate surfaces 79 and allclosures of the panel are in their inoperative positions in the pockets90 of the outer panel member as the panel assumes. a vertical positionas it moves into the bottom end of the portion A of its path of movementin the housing.

As a result all of the closures 82 of each panel, as it moves upwardlyinto the bottom end of the portion A of the path of movement of theplate assembly, are in the pockets and in their inoperative positions sothat the light passages 72 are open. In order to move selected ones ofthe closures to their operative closing positions wherein they closetheir associated light passage 72 and prevent transmittal of lighttherethrough so that the light transmitted through the open lightpassages of each group of passage will present a predetermined charactersuch as a number or letter, a plurality of electromagnets are mountedinwardly of the panels at the lower end portion of the vertical portionA of their path of movement by means of a support bar 96 which has endarms 97 and 98 rigidly secured to the support plates 31 and 32,respectively.

If, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the panels are designed to displayalphanumeric characters, the passages are arranged in longitudinallyspaced character groups G1, G2...G7 and with the passages of each grouparranging in plurality, for example, 5 vertical columns, C 1, C2, C3, C4and C5, and a plurality, for example, 7, horizontal rows Rl-R7. In orderto control the operation of the horizontal row of electromagnets 95 asthe rows Rl-R7 of the groups move successively into horizontal alignmentwith the row of electromagnets, reflective index strips are mounted inthe reflective strips 200 are mounted in outwardly opening recesses10111-1 01 g reflecting light aligned with the rows R1-R7, respectively,at one end thereof. A sensor assembly is mounted on a bracket 106secured to the bottom wall 21 of the housing includes a pair of lightbulbs 108 and 109 mounted in suitable sockets 110 suitably mounted in ahousing 112 of the sensor assembly and a photocathode 114 also mountedin a socket 115 suitably secured to the housing 112. The light bulbs andthe phototube are aligned horizontally and the light bulbs direct lightbeams convergently outwardly at the reflective strips so that each timea row of the light passages 72, for example the row R1, begins to moveupwardly and into alignment with the row of electromagnets, thereflection of the light from the lamps from the strips 101 causes thephotocathode tube to provide a signal which will enable any of theelectromagnets selected by a suitable control means, as will beexplained later, to become energized. When an electromagnet associatedwith a particular column of light passages is energized and as theclosure member in a pocket 90 of such column moves upwardly past suchelectromagnetic, such closure member, which is made of magnetizablesubstance is moved inwardly off the ledge and then drops downwardly bygravity into its operative position, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9,closing its associated light passage 72.

A plurality of elongate fluorescent lights are mounted in the housing ona reflector wall 121 whose opposite ends are secured to the supportplates 31 and 32 by means of brackets 124. The fluorescent lamps ortubes are mountediin the usual manner on fittings 126 which are securedin any suitable manner to the opposite side portions of the reflectorwall.

A light translucent and diffusing plate 128is inounted on the outerpanel members of the panels 51 and may be formed of a plastic having asomewhat roughened or light diffusing .outer surface. A similar innerlight translucent and diffusing plate 128a (FIGS. 13-16) is preferablysecured to the inner surface of the inner panel member. 1

Assuming that one of the panels is now moving upwardly into the bottomend of the front portion A of its path of movement and it is desiredthat such panel be moved upwardly to be visible through the lower end ofthe window 29 of the housing and that during such movement the closures82 of selected rows and columns of the light passages of the groups ofthe light passages in such horizontal panel be moved to closed positionsso that light will be transmitted only through so selected passages 72of the several groups Gl-Gn of such panel, the motor 58 is energized androtates the drive shaft 46 in a counterclockwise direction thus movingsuch panel upwardly. As the top rows R1 of the groups of such panel moveinto alignment with the sensor assembly 105, a signal is provided by thephotocathode tube as the first reflective strip 100a moves intoalignment with the sensor assembly to a suitable control circuit whichenables preselected ones of the electromagnets to be energized. Suchselected electromagnets are then energized for a short predeterminedperiod of time to cause the preselected closure members to be moved offtheir ledges 79 and drop by gravity to their operative positions whereinthey prevent light from passing through their associated light passages72. As the next strip moves into alignment with the sensor assembly, thephotocathode tube again transmits an enabling signal and preselectedones of the closures 82 for closing preselector light passages in therows R2 of the groups Gl-Gn of light passages of such panel are moved totheir closed positions. In this manner the electromagnets areselectively actuated as each of the seven rows of light passages of thegroups moves into and past the electromagnets so that when the panelmoves to the position wherein its bottom rows R7 of light passages areabove thebottom edge window, such panel is visible and presents a wholehorizontal line of alphanumeric characters since the light passesthrough the open light passages, light not being al- I lowed to betransmitted through the other light passages which are closed by theclosure members.

The panels are preferably opaque so that each open light passage isvisible as a disc of light on the light diffusing plate. It will beapparent that the light may be of any desired color and that the panelsthemselves may be black or any desired color.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 12 of the drawings, the controlcircuit 150 for controlling the operation of the motor 58 and theelectromagnets 95 of a display device having groups of light passageseach of which constitute a character matrix and the 150 electromagnetsfor moving the closures 82 of the 30 groups G of light passages forvisually presenting stock market quotations and information in themanner illustrated in F l6. 17, which information is received in serialdigital form from a serial digital input circuit 151 includes a serialto parallel converter 151 which converts the serial digital input foreach column of each character into six simultaneous parallel outputs tothe six inputs l52a-152f of a storage buffer 153. The buffer storageprovides a speed control signal to the input 155 of a speed controlsystem 1560f the drive motor 159 of the motor 58. The speed of rotationof the motor when a proper signal is transmitted to the inputterminal-155 of its speed control 156 will vary in accordance with thedegree of saturation or filling of the buffer storage. The speed controlof course has an output connected to the input terminal 158 of the motordrive circuit of the drive motor 58. The output of the buffer storage istransmitted to the input terminal 159 of a decoding circuit 160 and theoutput of the decoding circuit is transmitted to the input tenninal 162of a character generation circuit 163 which generates output signals ofthe particular letter or number which a particular It will be apparentthat the buffer storage 170 has a stage for each of the 150 magnets sothat 30 characters may be caused to be written or displayed by the 30groups of light passages of each panel and the outputs of the 150 stagesof the storage buffer 170 are transmitted to associated ones of the 150electromagnets 95.

The signals from the sensor assembly 105 are simultaneously transmittedto the input terminals 175 and 176 of a magnet control circuit 177 and ashift control circuit 178, respectively, through a row synchronizingcircuit 179. The output signal of the control circuit 177 provides amagnet enable signal to the electromagnets each time a row of the lightpassages of a panel moves towards alignment with the row ofelectromagnets 95 and the shift control circuit-provides a control pulseto the input terminal 181 of the storage buffer 170 I multistage storagebuffer 153. r

The character location alignment circuit also transmits a to cause it toshift appropriate signals to the electromagnets in accordance with thedigitaldata-stored in the register 170. The row sensor assembly alsotransmits signals to the input terminal 184 of a line synchronizationcircuit 185 which in turn after each seven pulses from the row sensortransmits a signal to the input terminals 186 and 187 of a storage shiftin pulses circuitv 168 and a buffer shift control circuit 188,respectively. The control circuit 168 at the end of the movement of apanel past the row of electromagnets 95 causes the next lineofinformation which is to be displayed by the next panel to be movedupwardly past the row of electromagnets l95'from the character locationalignment circuit 165 to be shifted into the stages of storage buffer170.

The buffer shift control circuit 188 of course causes the next line ofdigital data to be shiftedto the last stage of the signal to the inputterminal 190 of a foldover control circuit 191 which in'turn transmits asignal to the speed controlcircuit 156 which causes the motor drive 58to drive to move the assembly of panels in the event, as shown in lines7 and 8 (P16. 17), the last group of information pertaining to the laststock identified in the line is of such length that for clarity ofpresentation, it is preferred to displaythis last group in the next lineand immediately below the previous group of information pertaining tothe stock. As illustrated, this last group may show the second sale of anumber of shares of the same stock at a certain price. The fold oversenses nature of the next group of information, i.e., stock name ornumber, to be presented to determine if the next panel is to be advancedand such next group of information to be displayed immediately below thepreceding group as in the case of the last sale of CNE, FIG. 17.

Appropriate clock and timing pulses to the various circuits of thesystem are provided by a system timing circuit 195.

The particular control circuit may be of any suitable type and the oneillustrated has been shown for purposes of description of the apparatusas a whole.

The digital input signals from the serial line input circuit 150, forexample, a teletype line over which stock information is transmitted,are transmitted to the serial to parallel converter 151 and from thenceinto the buffer storage 153 at a speed and at the times determined bythe transmittal of the information over the teletype lines. Assuming nowthat the terminal storage buffer l70 is now empty, the information fromthe storage buffer 153 is transmitted through a decoding circuit to acharacter generation circuit 163 and its output is transmitted throughthe character location alignment circuit and a storage shift in pulsescircuit 168 to the encoded character storage register until a full orpartial line of stock information extending over some or all of the 30groups is transmitted by the teletype circuit. At such time the motordrive energizes the motor 58which then causes the next panel to begin tomove upwardly and the top row of rows of light passages of the 30 groupsG of light passages move toward alignment with the electromagnets. Asthe row sensor assembly 105 then generates a signal, as the reflectivestrip 100a moves into alignment therewith, to the row synchronizationcircuit and it in turn causes the circuit 177 to provide signals whichenable the 150 electromagnets to be energized and the right shift pulsescircuit causes each of thestages of the terminal storage buffer to causeenergization of selective ones of the electromagnetics 95 so thatappropriate ones of the closures 82 of preselected light passages ofeach group are moved from their inoperative to their operative positionsas the top rows of light passages move upwardly past the electromagnets.The sensor assembly 105 now generates a second pulse from the secondlight reflective or index strip 106 as the second row of light passagesbegins to move into alignment with the electromagnets to cause theclosures of selected ones of the light passages in the second row to bemoved to their closed positions. The row sensor assembly 105 thussuccessively provides seven successive signals to the rowsynchronization circuit and to the line synchronization circuit 185 as apanel moves upwardly past the electromagnet. When the seventh signal isreceived so that a full line of information has been written or causedto be displayed on the second panel of the display assembly, the 150stages of the terminal storage 170 are now empty and the linesynchronization circuit will then cause the buffer shift control circuit188 to transmit a signal to the last stage of the storage buffer 153 andcause the digital data representing the next line of information to bedisplayed on the next panel to be transmitted to the terminal storage170. When such line of information, whether it extends over the full 30character matrix or only part of thereof, the motor 58 is againenergized and the information in the terminal storage buffer 170 againis employed to energize the electromagnets 95 as each row of lightpassages of the next panel moves upwardly toward and past the magnets 95to cause such line of information to be displayed or presented by suchnext panel.

It will be apparent that while a particular driving means and aparticular indexing means, such as the'light reflected strips 100 is theparticular sensor assembly having light for transmitting light towardsthe strip and a photocathode tube for detecting the light reflected fromthe strips, has been illustrated and described other driving means andindexing means, for example, magnetic strips and magnetic detectors or areluctance pickup means may be employed.

It will also be apparent that while the display apparatus has beendescribed and illustrated as being used to provide alphanumericinformation, it could be employed to present other information, such asgraphs and the like.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 13 through 16 of the drawings, thepanel 50a is similar in all respects to the panel 50 except that theshape of its cavities 83a differ somewhat from the shape of the cavities83 of the panels 50. Accordingly the various elements of the panel 50ahave been provided with the same reference numerals, to which thesubscript a has been added, as the corresponding elements of the panel50. The recesses 75a of the outer panel member 70 are of substantiallycircular shape and open to the upper end of the inner recess 76a of theinner panel member 71. The arcuate ledge or support surface 79a definingthe lower portion of the recess 75a is not inclined downwardly throughas great a degree as the corresponding surface 79 of the panel 50illustrated in FIG. 7 so that the closure 82 tends to assume theposition illustrated in FIG. 1346 wherein its upper edge engages thesurface 800 defining the upper portion of the recess 76a of the innerpanel member. This positioning of the closure member when its upperinoperative position gives greater assurance that the closure memberwill not be accidentally moved from its inoperative to its operativeposition, as by vibration and the like. It will be apparent that thelower edge of the closure member must be moved inwardly by theelectromagnetic before it can move downwardly in the cavity 831: to itsoperative position wherein it rests on the surface 850 defining thelower end of the recess 76:: and closing the light passage 72.

While the panels 50 have been described as extending being formed ofinner and outer panel members which extend the full length of each panel50, each subpanel as illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 21 may be formed ofa plurality of sections 50a which are connected by the shafts 51. Apreferred form of the panel sections include an outer panel member 700having a recess 200 in its inner surface whose upper and lower ends aredefined by the downwardly and upwardly facing surfaces 201 and 202,respectively. The inner panel member 71a is disposed in the recess 200and is bonded or otherwise secured to the outer panel member 70a. Theinner translucent light diffusing plate 1280 is also disposed in therecess 200 inwardly of the inner panel member 71a and is rigidly securedthereto, as by bonding, adhesive and the like.

It will be apparent of course that the panel members 70a and 71a areprovided with the light passages such as the passage 72 and thecavities, such as the cavities 83, which intersect such light passagesand that the closures, such as the closures 82, are mounted for movementbetween operative and inoperative position in such cavities wherein thelight passages are open and closed, respectively.

The outer panel members are provided with their upper ends withthetongues 67a and with recess or slots 67a at their lower ends, itbeing apparent that the tongue of a lower panel is received in the slotor recess 67a of a vertically adjacent panel section 50a.

The outer panel member 700 has an outwardly facing upper horizontal andvertical side surfaces 204 and 205, respectively, and inwardly facinglower horizontal and vertical side surfaces 207 and 208, respectively.The outwardly facing side surface 205 of one panel section 500 overlapsthe inwardly facing side surface 208 of the immediately adjacent panelsection 50a and, similarly, the lower outwardly facing surface 207 ofone panel section overlaps the upper inwardly facing surface 204 of thenext panel section to which is connected by a shaft 51. As a result, nolight will pass between adjacent panel sections of each panel or betweenthe panel sections of adjacent connected panels.

It will be apparent that by the provision of panels formed of aplurality of panel sections, panels of various lengths may be easilyformed and the cost of fabrication of the panels is, of course, greatlyreduced.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 22 and 23 of the drawing, analternative fonn of the display panel 50 is illustrated and, since it issimilar in some respects to panel 50, its various elements have beenprovided with the same reference numerals, to which the subscript b" hasbeen added, as the corresponding elements of the panel 50. The panel 50bdiffers from the panel 50 in that its closure 82b when in the upperportions of the cavities 83b and resting on the alleged 79b is in itsoperative position closes the light passage 72 as the apertures 73b and74b of the panel members which form the light passage 72b are alignedwith the upper portion of the cavity instead of the lower portion. As aresult the light passage 72b of panel 50b is initially closed by itsclosure 82b as the panel moves upwardly into the front view portion ofthe movement of the display assembly of which it is a part and theclosure member is movable by an electromagnet 95 to its inoperativeposition wherein it rests on the surfaces 84b and 85b defining the lowerends of the internal recesses 75b and 76b of the outer and inner panelmembers 70b and 71b, respectively.

It will thus be apparent that where the panels 50b are used in a displayapparatus which have the light passages 72b and cavities 83b in therelationship illustrated-in FIGS. 22 and 23, the electromagnets will beenergized as required to move the closure members 82b, associated withlight passages which are to be opened, from their operative positions totheir lower inoperative positions as such panel moves upwardly past theelectromagnets.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 24 and 25 of the drawings, the panel500 is similar to the panel 50 and accordingly its elements have beenprovided with the same reference numerals to which the subscript 0" hasbeen added, as the corresponding elements of the panel 50. The panel 50cdiffers from the panel 50b merely in that the outer panel member and thediffusing plate 128 are provided with aligned passages 220 and 221 whichopen to the upper end of the cavity 830 above the arcuate ledge orsurface 790 so that the closure 82c may be moved from its upperinoperative position to its lower operative position closing the lightpassage 72c, instead of by an electromagnet, by a jet of air deliveredby a nozzle 222. It will be apparent that a horizontal row of nozzles222 would be used in a display apparatus utilizing the panels 500,instead of the electromagnets 95, and that as each row of the airpassage moves into alignment with such row of air nozzles, the nozzleswould direct jets of air to the selected closures 82c to move them fromtheir operative to their inoperative positions, the delivery of airunder pressure to individual air nozzles would of course be controlledby individual electrically operable valves.

It will now be seen that a new and improved display apparatus has beenillustrated and described which includes a display assembly formed of aplurality of horizontally extending panels 50, each of which may beformed of a plurality of sections as illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 21,with the panels being pivotally connected to form an endless belt andthat such endless belt or display assembly is movable in a closed pathso that a front upwardly moving vertically disposed portion of thedisplay assembly, which provides a relatively large number of lines ofinformation is visible and a large amount of information presented bythe panels of the display assembly is visible for an appreciable periodof time.

It will further be seen that the information is presented in the form oflight passes through light passages of the panels which are arranged inpredetermined array and each of which has a closure means selectivelymovable between operative and inoperative positions to either permit orprevent passage of light through its associated light passage.

It will further be seen that each of the panels has a plurality ofsubstantially horizontal transverse light passages 72 extendingtherethrough and a plurality of internal cavities 83 intersecting thelight passages with a closure member movably disposed in each of thecavities for movement between an inoperative position wherein itsassociated light passage is open and an operative position wherein itsassociated light passage is closed.

lt will further be seen that in the case of the form of the panelillustrated in FIGS, 22 and 23, the closure is in its operative positionin an upper portion of the cavity and that in other forms of the panels,as for example, of the panels 50 illustrated in H65. 6 through 9 and 13through 16, the closure is in its inoperative position when in the upperpart of the portion of the cavity.

It will further be seen that the closures are moved by gravity to theirupper positions in their associated cavities as each panel moves fromthe top end portion of the path of movement of the display assembly andthen back to the lower end of the front view portion of the path ofmovement of the panel so that the closures are automatically reset totheir operative or their inoperative positions, as the case may be, andso that selected ones of the closure members may then be moved bysuitable means, such as electromagnets or air jets from their upperpositions to their lower positions in the cavity in order to cause lighttransmitted through open light passages to present predetermined visualinformation.

lt will now also be apparent that the light transmitted directly throughthe light passages and the light diffusing plates, provides much moreintense light at the front of the panel than the light emitted byluminescent bodies excited by ultraviolet light of such displayapparatus as that disclosed in the pending application of Robert L.Woolfolk, Ser. No. 645,022, filed June 9, 1967, and thus the informationpresent by open light passages may be read or discerned at a muchgreater distance from the display apparatus than is the case in suchdisplay apparatus as disclosed in the copending application of Robert L.Woolfolk.

it will also be apparent that it is preferable to employ light diffusingplates or means on opposite sides of the light passages to providesharply defined circular lighted areas on the front faces of the panelsand that since the light passages are closed by the plates on oppositeends thereof, the display apparatus may be used in areas of strong airor wind currents, as, for example, outdoors.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A display device including: an elongate horizontally extendingsubstantially vertical panel, said vertical panel having a plurality ofsubstantially horizontal transverse light passages extendingtherethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intersecting saidlight passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined byupwardly facing first support surface means of said panel and a lowerportion defined by a second upwardly facing support surface means ofsaid panel; and a closure member in each of said cavities and movablebetween an inoperative position wherein said closure is spaced from itsassociated light passage and supported by one of said upwardly facingsupport surface means and an operative position wherein said closuremember is positioned in said cavity closing its associated light passageand supported by the other of said support surface means. 7

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said passages are arranged in apredetermined array.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein said panel has slide surfacesengageable by said closures for directing said closures to said supportsurface means to be supported thereby in one of said operative andinoperative positions upon the movement of said panel rearwardly anddownwardly and then forwardly and upwardly.

4. The display device of claim 3; and operator means for moving each ofsaid closures from one of said operative and inoperative positions tothe other.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein said operator means includeselectromagnetic means operatively associated with said closure members,said closures being of a magnetic substance.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein said light passages arearranged in groups of vertical spaced columns and horizontal spacedrows.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein said operator means comprisesa plurality of electromagnets disposed in predetermined alignment withsaid cavities, said operator means and said display panel being mountedfor movement relative to one another for causing said operator means andsaid closures in one of said columns and rows to move sequentiallyrelative to one another.

8. The display device of claim 7, and control means operativelyassociated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnetsselectively to movesaid closures between said operative and inoperativepositions as each one of said columns and rows of said light passagesmoves toward alignment with said electromagnets to cause the lighttransmitted through open light passages of said panel to presentpredetermined visual information.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein said control means includes aplurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relationto said one of said columns and rows of light passages to cause saidcontrol means to be placed in condition to enable said electromagnets tobe energized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined alignedrelation with said closures operatively associated with said one of saidcolumns and rows of said light passages.

10. The display device of Claim 9, wherein said index means compriseslight reflective means on said panel, light emitting means for directinglight at said reflective means and a light responsive means forreceiving the light reflected from said reflective means for producing acontrol signal.

11. The display device of Claim 1, wherein said light passages are belowsaid support surface means of said panel.

112. The display device of claim 1 wherein said panel is provided with aplurality of air passages opening to said cavities whereby a jet of airintroduced to said air passages may move the closure members in thecavities from one of their operative and inoperative positions to theother.

113. The display device of claim 1, wherein said lower portion of eachof said cavities intersects the light passage, said closure member beingin its inoperative position when in the upper portion of said cavity andsupported by said first support surface means and in its operativeposition when in the lower position of said cavity and supported by saidsecond upwardly facing support surface means.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper portions of saidcavity intersects its associated'light passage, each closure memberbeing in its operative position when in said upper portion of its cavityand supported by said first support surface means and in its inoperativeposition when in the lower portion of said cavity and supported by saidsecond support surface means.

15. The display device of claim 1, and light diffusing means on one sideof said panel closing said light passages at said one side whereby lighttransmitted through the light passages from the other side of the panelappears as lighted areas on said light diffusing means at said one side.

16. The display device of claim 15, and a second light diffusing meanson the other side of said panel closing said light passages at saidother side.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein said panel is comprised of aplurality horizontally alignedsections adjacent panel sections havingvertical overlapping side portions to prevent passage of light betweenadjacent panel sections.

18. A display apparatus including: a display assembly including aplurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to forman endless belt; means for moving said display assembly in a closed pathhaving a front vertical view-portion, a rear vertical portion, a topportion between the top ends of the front and rear portions and a bottomportion between the bottom ends of the front and rear portions, each ofsaid panels having a plurality of substantially horizontal transverselight passages extending therethrough and a plurality of internalcavities intercepting said light passages, each of said cavities havingan upper portion defined by an upwardly facing support surface means ofsaid panel, and closures in said cavities and movable between firstupper positions wherein said closures are supported by said upwardlyfacing support means and second positions spaced from said firstpositions, said closure members closing their associated light passageswhen in one of said first and second positions; and operator meansoperatively associated with said display assembly for causingpreselected closures of each of said panels to move from their firstpositions to their second positions to cause each of said panels as itmoves upwardly into the front view portion of its path of movement topresent predetermined visual information, said closures of each panelbeing moved by gravity to their first positions during the movement ofthe panel from the top end to the bottom end of the front portion of thepath of movement.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein said passages of said panelsare arranged in predetermined arrays.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein said panels have slidesurfaces engageable by said closures for directing said closures to saidsupport surface means to be supported thereby in said first positionsupon the movement of said panels rearwardly and downwardly and thenforwardly and upwardly.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein said operator means includeselectromagnetic means operatively associated with closure members, saidclosure members being of a magnetic substance.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein said light passages arearranged in groups of vertical spaced columns and horizontal spacedrows. 7

23. The display devices of claim 22, wherein said operator meanscomprises a plurality of electromagnets disposed in a horizontal row andsubstantially aligned with the columns of light passages of said displaypanels, said panels being mounted for upward vertical movement relativeto said electromagnets.

24. The display device of claim 23, and control means operativelyassociated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnetsselectively to move selected closures from said first to said secondpositions as each horizontal row of said light passages moves intoalignment with said electromagnets to cause the light transmittedthrough open light passages to resent predetermined visual information.I

5. The display device of claim 24, wherein said control means includes aplurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relationto said rows of light passages of said panels to enable saidelectromagnets to be energized only when said electromagnets are inpredetermined aligned relationship with closures of a row of lightpassages.

26. The display apparatus of claim 18, wherein said panels have lightdiffusing means on one side thereof closing the light passages thereofat said one side whereby light through the light passage from the otherside of the panels appears as lighted areas on said light diffusingmeans at said one side.

27. The display apparatus of claim 26, and second light diffusing meanson the other side of said panels closing the light passages thereof atsaid other side.

28. The display apparatus of claim 27, wherein each of said panels iscomprised of a plurality of horizontally aligned sections, adjacentpanel sections of each panel having vertical overlapping side portionsand vertically aligned adjacent panel sections of adjacent panels havingoverlapping horizontally extending end portions to prevent passage oflight between adjacent panel sections of each panel and between adjacentpanels.

1. A display device including: an elongate horizontally extendingsubstantially vertical panel, said vertical panel having a plurality ofsubstantially horizontal transverse light passages extendingtherethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intersecting saidlight passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined byupwardly facing first support surface means of said panel and a lowerportion defined by a second upwardly facing support surface means ofsaid panel; and a closure member in each of said cavities and movablebetween an inoperative position wherein said closure is spaced from itsassociated light passage and supported by one of said upwardly facingsupport surface means and an operative position wherein said closuremember is positioned in said cavity closing its associated light passageand supported by the other of said support surface means.
 2. The displaydevice of claim 1 wherein said passages are arranged in a predeterminedarray.
 3. The display device of claim 2, wherein said panel has slidesurfaces engageable by said closures for directing said closures to saidsupport surface means to be supported thereby in one of said operativeand inoperative positions upon the movement of said panel rearwardly anddownwardly and then forwardly and upwardly.
 4. The display device ofclaim 3; and operator means for moving each of said closures from one ofsaid operative and inoperative positions to the other.
 5. The displaydevice of claim 4, wherein said operator means includes electromagneticmeans operatively associated with said closure members, said closuresbeing of a magnetic substance.
 6. The display device of claim 5, whereinsaid light passages are arranged in groups of vertical spaced columnsand horizontal spaced rows.
 7. The display device of claim 6, whereinsaid operator means comprises a plurality of electromagnets disposed inpredetermined alignment with said cavities, said operator means and saiddisplay panel being mounted for movement relative to one another forcausing said operator means and said closures in one of said columns androws to move sequentially relative to one another.
 8. The display deviceof claim 7, and control means operatively associated with saidelectromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to move saidclosures between said operative and inoperative positions as each one ofsaid columns and rows of said light passages moves toward alignment withsaid electromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open lightpassages of said panel to present predetermined visual information. 9.The display device of claim 8, wherein said control means includes aplurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relationto said one of said columns and rows of light passages to cause saidcontrol means to be placed in condition to enable said electromagnets tobe energized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined alignedrelation with said closures operatively associated with said one of saidcolumns and rows of said light passages.
 10. The display device of Claim9, wherein said index means comprises light reflective means on saidpanel, light emitting means for directing light at said reflective meansand a light responsive means for receiving the light reflected from saidreflective means for producing a control signal.
 11. The display deviceof Claim 1, wherein said light passages are below said support surfacemeans of said panel.
 12. The display device of claim 1 wherein saidpanel is provided with a plurality of air passages opening to saidcAvities whereby a jet of air introduced to said air passages may movethe closure members in the cavities from one of their operative andinoperative positions to the other.
 13. The display device of claim 1,wherein said lower portion of each of said cavities intersects the lightpassage, said closure member being in its inoperative position when inthe upper portion of said cavity and supported by said first supportsurface means and in its operative position when in the lower positionof said cavity and supported by said second upwardly facing supportsurface means.
 14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upperportions of said cavity intersects its associated light passage, eachclosure member being in its operative position when in said upperportion of its cavity and supported by said first support surface meansand in its inoperative position when in the lower portion of said cavityand supported by said second support surface means.
 15. The displaydevice of claim 1, and light diffusing means on one side of said panelclosing said light passages at said one side whereby light transmittedthrough the light passages from the other side of the panel appears aslighted areas on said light diffusing means at said one side.
 16. Thedisplay device of claim 15, and a second light diffusing means on theother side of said panel closing said light passages at said other side.17. The display device of claim 16, wherein said panel is comprised of aplurality horizontally aligned sections, adjacent panel sections havingvertical overlapping side portions to prevent passage of light betweenadjacent panel sections.
 18. A display apparatus including: a displayassembly including a plurality of horizontally extending panelspivotally connected to form an endless belt; means for moving saiddisplay assembly in a closed path having a front vertical view portion,a rear vertical portion, a top portion between the top ends of the frontand rear portions and a bottom portion between the bottom ends of thefront and rear portions, each of said panels having a plurality ofsubstantially horizontal transverse light passages extendingtherethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intercepting saidlight passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined byan upwardly facing support surface means of said panel, and closures insaid cavities and movable between first upper positions wherein saidclosures are supported by said upwardly facing support means and secondpositions spaced from said first positions, said closure members closingtheir associated light passages when in one of said first and secondpositions; and operator means operatively associated with said displayassembly for causing preselected closures of each of said panels to movefrom their first positions to their second positions to cause each ofsaid panels as it moves upwardly into the front view portion of its pathof movement to present predetermined visual information, said closuresof each panel being moved by gravity to their first positions during themovement of the panel from the top end to the bottom end of the frontportion of the path of movement.
 19. The display device of claim 18,wherein said passages of said panels are arranged in predeterminedarrays.
 20. The display device of claim 19, wherein said panels haveslide surfaces engageable by said closures for directing said closuresto said support surface means to be supported thereby in said firstpositions upon the movement of said panels rearwardly and downwardly andthen forwardly and upwardly.
 21. The display device of claim 20, whereinsaid operator means includes electromagnetic means operativelyassociated with closure members, said closure members being of amagnetic substance.
 22. The display device of claim 21, wherein saidlight passages are arranged in groups of vertical spaced columns andhorizontal spaced rows.
 23. The display devices of claim 22, whereinsaid operator means comprises a plurality of electromagnets disposed ina horizontal row and substantially aligned with the columns of lightpassages of said display panels, said panels being mounted for upwardvertical movement relative to said electromagnets.
 24. The displaydevice of claim 23, and control means operatively associated with saidelectromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to moveselected closures from said first to said second positions as eachhorizontal row of said light passages moves into alignment with saidelectromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open lightpassages to present predetermined visual information.
 25. The displaydevice of claim 24, wherein said control means includes a plurality ofindex means carried by said panel in predetermined relation to said rowsof light passages of said panels to enable said electromagnets to beenergized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined alignedrelationship with closures of a row of light passages.
 26. The displayapparatus of claim 18, wherein said panels have light diffusing means onone side thereof closing the light passages thereof at said one sidewhereby light through the light passage from the other side of thepanels appears as lighted areas on said light diffusing means at saidone side.
 27. The display apparatus of claim 26, and second lightdiffusing means on the other side of said panels closing the lightpassages thereof at said other side.
 28. The display apparatus of claim27, wherein each of said panels is comprised of a plurality ofhorizontally aligned sections, adjacent panel sections of each panelhaving vertical overlapping side portions and vertically alignedadjacent panel sections of adjacent panels having overlappinghorizontally extending end portions to prevent passage of light betweenadjacent panel sections of each panel and between adjacent panels.